1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to virtual interfaces with dynamic binding in a computer network environment.
2. Description of Related Art
In a computer network environment, it is often desirable to couple a local area network to a device remote from that local area network. When the local area network uses a protocol such as ethernet or token ring, devices to be coupled to the local area network generally require a network interface card or a similar device to establish connectivity. However, for a device remote from the local area network, a communication link to the locality of the local area network, such as a serial link, is generally required to establish connectivity. Providing connectivity between a local area network and a remote is a problem which has arisen in the art.
For example, it is often desirable to couple a local area network to a router for connection to a second network. In this manner, the local area network can achieve connectivity with a network of networks (an internetwork) using the router. However, when the router is physically remote from the local area network, connectivity between the router and the local area network generally requires a communication link, such as a serial communication link, which complicates the connection between the router and the local area network.
One method in the art is to provide connectivity between the router and the local area network using a higher-level protocol, such as the TCP/IP protocol. Devices coupled to the local area network would then be able to communicate with networks coupled to the router, using the TCP/IP protocol or applications founded thereon. However, while this method provides connectivity between the router and the local area network, it requires additional complexity and additional processing for such accesses, and does not truly allow routing packets over the serial connection as if it were a local area network connection. This additional complexity and failure to truly emulate a local area network connection may also degrade or disable the use at the router of applications designed for local area networks, even though the router is thereby coupled to the local area network.
In addition to connectivity, it is often desirable to couple a local area network to a remote location so as to provide services to the local area network from that remote location. For example, it may be advantageous to centralize administrative services for a plurality of local area networks which are remote from each other. However, the additional complexity of using a higher-level protocol introduces additional complexity and inconvenience to provision of those administrative services to the local area network.
More generally, it is often desirable to substitute a different type of physical device interface while maintaining the same type of logical connectivity. For example, portable laptop or notebook computers often provide a PCMCIA or "smart card" interface, to which one of several types of devices may be coupled. Some of these PCMCIA cards provide connectivity to a local area network, but may require a special software controller for the PCMCIA-based network interface. It would be advantageous to provide a method and system in which a software controller for the network interface could operate independent of which type of PCMCIA card is used to provide physical connectivity.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide improved connectivity to networks.